Latvian oppositionist Vladimir Linderman arrested in Riga

Political and social activist Vladimir Linderman was detained today by officers of the Latvian special services, human rights activist Oxana Chelysheva has told mixnews.lv.

Chelysheva was an eye-witness of the detention. She said it was rude. Linderman was detained in Imanta District of Riga. “We were standing at a bus stop in Imanta, six more people were waiting for the bus. Suddenly, a van without license plates approached the bus stop, four people wearing black uniform and masks jumped out of it. Linderman was pushed to the ground and then taken to the van; the driver was also wearing a mask. They left to the city center,” Chelysheva said.

Previously, the Security Police announced they were informed on a report on the Russian Zvezda TV channel saying that riots are possible in Riga on May 9 provoked by US special services. Vladimir Linderman was speaking there as an expert. The Security Police noted that the report was “a vital example of Russian information influence against Latvia being exerted for a long time already.” According to the Security Police, this very video “was outstanding due its abrupt provocative nature and disinformation.”

A month ago, while speaking at a rally on March 31 organized by the Russian Union of Latvia and the Headquarters to Protect Russian Schools of the Latvian Parental Assembly, Vladimir Linderman called to radicalize the protest against school education reform. On May 8, it became known that the Security Police launched a criminal procedure against former member of the European Parliament, leader of the Russian Union of Latvia Tatyana Zhdanok.

As EADaily reported earlier, on April 20, the Security Police arrested opposition activist, leader of the Congress of Non-Citizens Alexander Gaponenko. He is suspected in illegal activities against Latvia. Shortly before the arrest, he posted in Facebook that he received a warning that in May a bloody provocation can be organized in Riga with participation of US special forces while the blame will be put on local Russians. The post drew attention of the head of the Saeimas Commission for Security, Internal Affairs and Combatting Crime Ainars Latkovskis who asked the Security Police to examine whether there was a crime in his words. On April 21, the court ruled to keep him in custody.